Random direction bouncer

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a random direction bouncer including a solid sphere having a core removed therefrom to define a concentric hollow within the solid sphere. The solid sphere has an outer surface and an inner surface. There is at least one cut-out removed from the solid sphere to define an opening corresponding to the cut-out, with the cut-out opening extending from the sphere outer surface to the inner surface, and being in communication with the concentric hollow. The resultant bouncer bounces in a random direction when dropped or thrown against a flat surface, instead of returning to its origin (or thereabouts).

RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to toy balls, and more specificallymodified toy balls behaving in an unpredictable manner upon bouncing.

2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98

A variety of play and toy balls are known. Common among these are rubberballs, favored by children for their resiliency, relativelysoft-texture, and control ability. For example, North Americanbasketballs are typically made from butyl rubber, are reasonably rigid(when fully inflated) but soft enough for bare-hand handling, and can bedribbled in a very controlled fashion. When shot to a backboard, arebound direction is reasonably predictable. When a basketball isbounced (as in a straight vertical drop or throw) it is expected theball will return to its point of origin. If it is bounced at an angle,it is expected the ball's reflection angle will equal its incidenceangle (assuming it is hitting a flat surface, and with reference to anormal).

Schoolyard rubber balls, approximate in size to that of North Americansoccer balls, are typically made of Indian rubber or a rubber of likequality. Similar to basketballs, they are reasonably rigid (when fullyinflated) but soft enough for bare-hand handling, are made of a pliablerubber, and can be dribbled in a very controlled fashion. When it isbounced (as in a straight vertical drop or throw) it is expected theball will return to its point of origin. If it is bounced at an angle,it is expected the ball's reflection angle will equal its incidenceangle (again, assuming it is hitting a flat surface, and with referenceto a normal).

There is a countless variety of such balls, all with similar behaviorand characteristics. As such, children can become easily bored withthese types of balls given their predictable behavior. Children aresometimes more entertained by unpredictable events and behaviors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one preferred embodiment, the present invention is a random directionbouncer comprising a solid sphere having a core removed therefrom todefine a concentric hollow within the solid sphere. The solid sphere hasan outer surface and an inner surface. There is at least one cut-outremoved from the solid sphere to define an opening corresponding to thecut-out, with the cut-out opening extending from the sphere outersurface to the inner surface, and being in communication with theconcentric hollow.

In another preferred embodiment, the present invention is arandom-direction bouncer comprising a solid spheroid having a coreremoved therefrom to define a concentric hollow within the solidspheroid. The solid spheroid has an outer surface and an inner surface.There is at least one cut-out removed from the solid spheroid to definean opening corresponding to the cut-out, with the cut-out openingextending from the spheroid outer surface to the inner surface, andbeing in communication with the concentric hollow.

In yet another preferred embodiment, the present invention is a randomdirection bouncer comprising a solid polyhedron having a core removedtherefrom to define a concentric hollow within the solid polyhedron. Thesolid polyhedron has an outer surface and an inner surface. There is atleast one cut-out removed from the solid polyhedron to define an openingcorresponding to the cut-out, with the cut-out opening extending fromthe polyhedron outer surface to the inner surface, and being incommunication with the concentric hollow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a random direction bouncer in accordancewith the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a random direction bouncer in accordancewith the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a random direction bouncer in accordance withthe present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an exploded schematic view of a random direction bouncer inaccordance with the present invention, showing parts removed in order toconstruct same.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a random direction bouncer (10) generally. In a preferredembodiment, the bouncer (10) is spherical. It is possible to make randomdirection bouncers (10) based on other three-dimensional shapes (cubes,tetrahedrons, octahedrons, etc.), and principles disclosed herein can beadapted accordingly based on the bouncer (10) shape. In that context, aslong as the bouncer is a spheroid or cuboid shaped, these principles canbe used to make a modified ball with a novel characteristic describedbelow. Spheroid means a sphere-like shape (and not necessarily an exactsphere), and cuboid means any polyhedron shape (and not necessarily anexact cube).

The preferred embodiment in FIG. 1 can be manufactured in any material,preferably in rubber (and ideally Indian rubber). Manufacture inmaterials other than rubber (composite materials, plastics, etc.) canmake the bouncer (10) behave differently. That is, selection ofmanufacture material may have an impact on the random-direction bouncingcharacteristic of the bouncer (10), and so some materials may not besuitable (suitability can be determined by simple trial-and-error). Whenmade in rubber or similarly pliable material, the bouncer (10) maintainsa random-direction bouncing characteristic otherwise based on itsphysical structure only (a detailed description of which follows below).Therefore, the bouncer (10) should ideally be made from rubber or anymaterial which behaves similar to rubber when bounced on a groundsurface (not shown).

What makes the present invention novel and inventive from ordinaryspherical play rubber balls (not shown) presently on the market (i.e.what is referred to above as its novel characteristic) is that when itis bounced (as in a straight vertical drop or throw) against a (flat)ground surface (not shown), it does not return directly to itsoriginating location (or thereabouts) as is normally expected with aspherical play ball, but rather bounces off in an unpredictable, randomdirection. It is this unpredictability that makes this bouncer (10) anovel and fun toy for kids and adults. FIG. 2 shows a slightly rotatedperspective of the bouncer (10) shown in FIG. 1.

In a preferred embodiment where the bouncer (10) is a sphere,manufacture begins with an initially solid sphere (which subsequentlybecomes the bouncer (10)) having a core (20). The core (20) is removedfrom the once solid sphere, and therefore leaves within, a definedconcentric hollow. That is, the core (20) is a sphere of smallerdiameter than the bouncer (10), and by removing that core (20), asphere-shaped cavity (having a diameter equal to the core (20) diameter)concentric to the once solid sphere remains therein (i.e. within theonce solid sphere). The now-hollowed sphere (henceforth bouncer (10))has an outer surface (30) and an inner surface (40).

The preferred embodiment bouncer (10) shown in FIG. 1 has at least onecut-out (50) removed from the once solid sphere, to define an opening(60) corresponding to that cut-out (50). The cut-out (50) is literally apiece cut out of the bouncer (10), extending from the bouncer (10) outersurface (30) to the inner surface (40). The remaining opening (60)corresponds in shape and size to that cut-out (50). The cut-out opening(60) is therefore in communication with the concentric hollow. Arelationship between the cut-out opening (60) and the concentric hollowis best shown in FIGS. 3 & 4.

For the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5, the cut-outs (50) areeight in number, and ideally tetrahedral-shape. By making the cut-outsequidistant from each other, and tetrahedral-shaped, the bouncer (10)appears as a merged (circular) x-y-z axis—that is, three circular bodiesperpendicular to each other, forming an x-y-z axis configuration. Eachof those three circular bodies has a uniform thickness (t) when thecut-outs (50) are eight in number, equidistant from each other, andidentical to each other in size and shape. In this configuration, thebouncer (10) works particularly well for bouncing off into randomdirections when struck against a ground surface (not shown).

For the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5, the cut-outs (50) aretetrahedral shape because they start on the sphere outer surface (30)and extend radially inward (forming one vertex of the tetrahedron).However, they are not true tetrahedrons in that each has at least oneconvex face (as opposed to all flat triangular faces) because of thesphere's outer surface (30) shape, and because the core (20) has beenremoved, one vertex of each tetrahedron is somewhat cut-off. In thisregard, the terms tetrahedron, tetrahedral, and the like, are used todescribe the cut-outs (50) and their corresponding openings (60) only inan approximate sense. That is, the cut-outs (50) shown in FIGS. 1-5 aretetrahedron-like, but not actually perfect or exact tetrahedrons. Indiffering embodiments, it would be possible to vary the cut-out (50)shape without losing the random-direction bouncing effect of themodified ball, but cut-out (50) shape variation would be subject totrial-and-error.

In actual manufacture, it is more practical to first remove the cut-outs(50) from a solid sphere, and thereafter remove the core (20).

While the present invention is susceptible to embodiments in varyingform, there is shown in these drawings and described herein an exemplaryand non-limiting embodiment. This disclosure is an exemplification andnot intended to limit this invention to the specific embodimentillustrated. A person of ordinary skill in the art can adapt principlesdisclosed herein to modify the present invention into varyingembodiments without exceeding the claims herein.

1. A random direction bouncer comprising: a solid sphere having a coreremoved therefrom to define a concentric hollow within the solid sphere,the solid sphere having an outer surface and an inner surface; and atleast one cut-out removed from the solid sphere to define an openingcorresponding to said cut-out, the cut-out opening extending from thesphere outer surface to the inner surface, and being in communicationwith the concentric hollow.
 2. The random direction bouncer in claim 1,wherein the sphere is comprised of rubber.
 3. The random directionbouncer in claim 1, wherein there are eight cut-outs removed from thesolid sphere to define eight openings corresponding to said eightcut-outs.
 4. The random direction bouncer in claim 3, wherein thecut-out openings are equidistant from each other.
 5. The randomdirection bouncer in claim 3, wherein the cut-outs are all identical toeach other in size and shape.
 6. The random direction bouncer in claim1, wherein the at least one cut-out opening is tetrahedral-shaped. 7.The random direction bouncer in claim 1, wherein the at least onecut-out opening is tetrahedral-shaped.
 8. The random direction bouncerin claim 3, wherein the eight cut-out openings are tetrahedral-shaped.9. The random direction bouncer in claim 4, wherein the eight cut-outopenings are tetrahedral-shaped.
 10. The random direction bouncer inclaim 1, wherein the core removed therefrom is spherical.
 11. The randomdirection bouncer in claim 1, wherein the outer and inner surfacesdefine a thickness measured therebetween.
 12. The random directionbouncer in claim 11, wherein the sphere thickness is uniform throughout.13. A random direction bouncer comprising: a solid spheroid having acore removed therefrom to define a concentric hollow within the solidspheroid, the solid spheroid having an outer surface and an innersurface; and at least one cut-out removed from the solid spheroid todefine an opening corresponding to said cut-out, the cut-out openingextending from the spheroid outer surface to the inner surface, andbeing in communication with the concentric hollow.
 14. The randomdirection bouncer in claim 13, wherein the spheroid is comprised ofrubber.
 15. The random direction bouncer in claim 13, wherein there areeight cut-outs removed from the solid spheroid to define eight openingscorresponding to said eight cut-outs.
 16. The random direction bouncerin claim 15, wherein the cut-out openings are equidistant from eachother.
 17. The random direction bouncer in claim 15, wherein thecut-outs are all identical to each other in size and shape.
 18. Therandom direction bouncer in claim 13, wherein the at least one cut-outopening is tetrahedral-shaped.
 19. The random direction bouncer in claim13, wherein the at least one cut-out opening is tetrahedral-shaped. 20.The random direction bouncer in claim 15, wherein the eight cut-outopenings are tetrahedral-shaped.
 21. The random direction bouncer inclaim 16, wherein the eight cut-out openings are tetrahedral-shaped. 22.The random direction bouncer in claim 13, wherein the core removedtherefrom is spheroid.
 23. The random direction bouncer in claim 13,wherein the outer and inner surfaces define a thickness measuredtherebetween.
 24. The random direction bouncer in claim 23, wherein thespheroid thickness is uniform throughout.
 25. A random direction bouncercomprising: a solid polyhedron having a core removed therefrom to definea concentric hollow within the solid polyhedron, the solid polyhedronhaving an outer surface and an inner surface; and at least one cut-outremoved from the solid polyhedron to define an opening corresponding tosaid cut-out, the cut-out opening extending from the polyhedron outersurface to the inner surface, and being in communication with theconcentric hollow.
 26. The random direction bouncer in claim 25, whereinthe polyhedron is comprised of rubber.
 27. The random direction bouncerin claim 25, wherein there are eight cut-outs removed from the solidpolyhedron to define eight openings corresponding to said eightcut-outs.
 28. The random direction bouncer in claim 27, wherein thecut-out openings are equidistant from each other.
 29. The randomdirection bouncer in claim 27, wherein the cut-outs are all identical toeach other in size and shape.
 30. The random direction bouncer in claim25, wherein the at least one cut-out opening is tetrahedral-shaped. 31.The random direction bouncer in claim 25, wherein the at least onecut-out opening is tetrahedral-shaped.
 32. The random direction bouncerin claim 27, wherein the eight cut-out openings are tetrahedral-shaped.33. The random direction bouncer in claim 28, wherein the eight cut-outopenings are tetrahedral-shaped.
 34. The random direction bouncer inclaim 25, wherein the core removed therefrom is a polyhedron.
 35. Therandom direction bouncer in claim 25, wherein the outer and innersurfaces define a thickness measured therebetween.
 36. The randomdirection bouncer in claim 35, wherein the polyhedron thickness isuniform throughout.